Music Box: Garbage

Although I'm notoriously lost in the '80s, Garbage (along with Saint Etienne and Belly) was one of a handful of '90s bands that at least tried to seduce me into facing the new decade. Songs like "I'm Only Happy When It Rains," "Stupid Girl" and "Queer" (from their eponymous debut) and "Special" (with its delightful nod to Chrissie Hynde's "Talk of the Town") and "When I Grow Up" (from their even superior sophomore album) rank among the period's finest singles. And even as excitement for the band waned at the turn of the century, I was still in love with them on "Beautiful Garbage" ("Can't Cry These Tears" is pure pop perfection). But even I have to admit, 2005's "Bleed Like Me" kind of came and went, and when the band called it a day (or at least a hiatus), I wasn't all that surprised. Even so, I've been curious about what Shirley Manson's next move would be. A solo album seemed likely (she proved with her old band Angelfish that she's a force to be reckoned with even without the Garbage men) but when she played her label what she'd been working on it was ultimately left in limbo by some disapproving suits. Still, I was a little surprised (and maybe a bit disappointed) to find out she's turned her focus to acting, joining the cast of "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles" this season. (IMDB also lists her as being in something in production with Rosie Perez, Terrence Howard, Alan Cumming, Debra Winger and Marlo Thomas!) "Terminator" isn't anything I would watch, so for now -- until she figures out a way to get her music released again -- I guess I will just dust off my Garbage CDs (maybe even pop one in my old Discman for old time's sake) and remember Shirley at her most special ...

"When I Grow Up": happy hours, golden showers ...


"The Trick Is to Keep Breathing"